The End and the Fear of God

The division in verse 217 occurs thus: for this reason some say that matter is a dual entity—we were saying that it was necessary for the better of those ers to be subjected to the better number, and we construct from this that they are abundant. We do not act impiously in any way.

However, if someone says that we shall seek whether God is without beginning or not, the other part of the argument brings much impiety. Indeed, dialectic itself says that not all problems are dialectical. For those which are followed by punishment are not dialectical. For dialectical things aim at the two sides. No one wants to attempt whether God is or is not, or whether the laws should be kept beforehand or not; for these things have punishment following them in another form of the contradiction. For it brings shameful reputation to the one leading the other form of the contradiction.

And do not grow hardeneded. He who chooses evil becomes hard. For he constructs hardness for the one possessing it. 'For according to your hardness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath' (Rom 2:5). You see that: having an unrepentant heart, one is found hard. And thus it happens to the heart of Pharaoh, which has been written of many times, having been hardened. 'Do not be excessively wise, do not grow hardeneded, so that you do not die in your time' (Prov 3:7).

This can be applied to everything; according to the intellect, it says: 'Do not become very hard; do not become, do not...' [ound. It is good to hold fast to this, and not to let go of your hand from it. In each of the things said, you heard: do not become very righteous; hold fast to this. It has said, 'Do not be excessively wise.' In all the things said, hold fast as if in one genus.

Therefore, from what I have said, that it is also necessary to hold fast, do not let your practice cease. Persist in them, as the apostle says: 'Hold these things, be in these, so that your progress may become evident' (1 Tim 4:15), in the virtues. Meditating on these, it is necessary to remain in them, not to depart further from them. For it is not good to remain in other studies which are according to science and are conducted in an orderly fashion. And so that the demonstration may be from a ready example, the learning of letters of the first elements...

Let us take it. It is not good to remain in the study of characters, but to run quickly toward the next progress. Regarding virtues, practice brings progress: practice brings temperance, and one remains in temperance; practice brings justice, and one remains in justice; for in this way one is able to be shown to be diligent.

For he who fears God will come out of all things (Ps 112:7). Even if you have much help—help for coming out—it does not say that he becomes outside of all things. But 'to come out' signifies the end and the outcome, as we say that the holy voices that occurred regarding the coming of the Savior have attained an outcome. And this is 'so that it might be fulfilled' (Matt 2:17). For those from the heterodox, either maliciously or through ignorance, think that this fulfillment is to be taken in this way: that it might be fulfilled so that it might not be empty. And they say that the Old Testament was empty in itself and required fulfillment from without. Not this, but he speaks regarding an outcome: because of this Mary gave birth, 'so that it might be fulfilled; behold, she shall hold in her womb' (Luke 2:19). Because of this the Savior was crucified, because of 'they have pierced my hands and my feet' (Ps 22:16). He who fears God does not become outside of them, but reaches their end.

This is similar to what the apostolic text says: 'not of him who runs nor of him who wills, but of God who shows mercy' (Rom 9:16). Therefore, he who fears God 'comes out of all things' (Ps 112:7). For 'the fear of the Lord surpasses all things' (Ps 111:7). And if it surpasses all things, 'there is nothing above him.' For it is not the fear of punishment that is spoken of, but that one, about whom we say: 'there is no lack to those who fear him' (Ps 34:9). And 'He' is God. For He says: 'be holy to Him, for He is your fear' (Lev 19:2). Just as the one desiring wisdom becomes wisdom in Christ, and the righteousness of the righteous becomes righteousness in Christ, so also fear becomes so.

Wisdom will help the wise, while those exercising authority in the city are being overcome. Let us say that he who worships clings to all at once to those who are helping and to those who seem to be so to the many, being human things. For according to the true word, since all things are governed by the will of God, even things that seem to happen humanly are a gift from God. To have wealth is human, but 'the Lord makes rich' (1 Sam 2:7); to have the beginning is human, but the Lord 'establishes kings and deposes them' (1 Sam 2:7). However, when these things happen by themselves under the...